Brutal

A man is expected to be brutal

towards memory, take them into a fist

like a thread beneath long fingers

and squeeze as they thrash

and struggle… and struggle…

like a hummingbird's wings

they want to rise, as a man

you choke them out;

I have always been hesitant to

touch the dead which is

why I let all these things go on

living free in my head but

I’ll go on believing I am

a man anyway.

Reviews

[Laz K.]

Awesome, as always!
Great simile, personification, and all that jazz.
However, who says one's manhood is measured by one's brutality?
Well, I guess "society" does, but that's why we should be grateful for Emerson to come up with the idea of "nonconformity"...

[JR]

Yes, it's very much a society thing. Actually been thinking of Emerson a lot, great tie in. Thanks for the read as always.